Hawaiian honeycreeper conservation

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extant species of honeycreeper still exist.[1] Threats to species include habitat loss, avian malaria, predation by non-native mammals, and competition from non-native birds.[2]

Conservation status of Hawaiian honeycreepers
Extinct species[3]
Critically endangered species[3]
  • Akialoa ellisianus
    ) (Wiped out by Western colonization)
  • Akialoa lanaiensis
    ) (Wiped out by Western colonization)
  • Akialoa obscurus
    ) (Wiped out by Western colonization)
  • Akialoa stejnegeri
    ) (Wiped out by Western colonization)
  • Akialoa upupirostris
    ) (Wiped out by Polynesian colonization)
  • Chloridops kona
    ) (Wiped out by Western colonization)
  • Chloridops regiskongi
    ) (Wiped out by Polynesian colonization)
  • Chloridops wahi
    ) (Wiped out by Polynesian colonization)
  • Oʻahu icterid-like gaper (Aidemedia chascax) (Wiped out by Polynesian colonization)
  • Maui Nui icterid-like gaper (Aidemedia lutetiae) (Wiped out by Polynesian colonization)
  • Sickle-billed gaper (Aidemedia zanclops) (Wiped out by Polynesian colonization)
  • Ciridops anna
    ) (Wiped out by Western colonization)
  • Ciridops tenax
    ) (Wiped out by Polynesian colonization)
  • Dysmorodrepanis munroi
    ) (Wiped out by Western colonization)
  • Drepanis pacifica
    ) (Wiped out by Western colonization)
  • Drepanis funerea
    ) (Wiped out by Western colonization)
  • Oahu nukupu'u (Hemignathus lucidus) (Wiped out by Western colonization)
  • Hemignathus vorpalis
    ) (Wiped out by Polynesian colonization)
  • Himatione fraithii
    ) (Wiped out by Western colonization)
  • Loxioides kikuichi
    ) (Wiped out by Polynesian colonization)
  • Loxops wolstenholmei
    ) (Wiped out by Western colonization)
  • Orthiospiza howarthi
    ) (Wiped out by Polynesian colonization)
  • Paroreomyza flammea
    ) (Wiped out by Western colonization)
  • Paroreomyza montana montana
    ) (Wiped out by Western colonization)
  • Rhodacanthis flaviceps
    ) (Wiped out by Western colonization)
  • Rhodacanthis forfex
    ) (Wiped out by Polynesian colonization)
  • Rhodacanthis litotes
    ) (Wiped out by Polynesian colonization)
  • Rhodacanthis palmeri
    )
  • Telespiza persecutrix
    ) (Wiped out by Polynesian colonization)
  • Telespiza ypsilon
    ) (Wiped out by Polynesian colonization)
  • Strange-billed finch (Vangulifer mirandus) (Wiped out by Polynesian colonization)
  • Thin-billed finch (Vangulifer neophasis) (Wiped out by Polynesian colonization)
  • Viridonia sagittirostris
    )
  • Cone-billed finch (Xestospiza conica
    ) (Wiped out by Polynesian colonization)
  • Ridge-billed finch (Xestospiza fastigialis
    ) (Wiped out by Polynesian colonization)
  • Maui nukupu'u (Hemignathus affinis) probably extinct
  • Hemignathus hanapepe
    ), probably extinct
  • Loxioides bailleui
    )
  • Loxops caeruleirostris
    )
  • Loxops ochraceus
    ), probably extinct
  • Melamprosops phaeosoma
    ), probably extinct
  • Oreomystis bairdi
    )
  • Palmeria dolei
    )
  • Paroreomyza maculata
    ), probably extinct
  • Pseudonestor xanthophrys
    )
  • Psittirostra psittacea
    ), probably extinct
  • Telespiza ultima
    )
Endangered species[3] Vulnerable species[3]
  • Chlorodrepanis flavus
    )
  • Chlorodrepanis kauaiensis
    )
  • Magumma parva
    )
  • Telespiza cantans
    )
  • Vestiaria coccinea
    )
Near-threatened species[3]
Species of least concern[3]
  • Chlorodrepanis virens
    )
  • Himatione sanguinea
    )

Hawaiian honeycreeper threats

The honeycreepers are threatened by recently introduced

Asian tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus) and the bromeliad mosquito (Wyeomyia mitchellii) were introduced to the islands.[4] The immune system of the honeycreepers had not been exposed to avian malaria since its common ancestor existed 4 to 5 million years ago.[1][4]
Thus, the honeycreepers had not co-evolved with the pathogen to develop resistance as those birds on the mainland did.

In the 1970s, the Hawai’i Forest Bird Survey found that native birds had retreated from mid or low elevation forest and had been replaced by exotic species; however, competition was not documented between them and the native species.

Global warming
may move that line higher until these species no longer have a refuge.

Degradation of habitat for the Hawaiian honeycreepers has also been a main cause for the radical decrease in their population numbers. Colonization of the Hawaiian islands has led to extensive

domestic pigs and goats have done considerable damage to habitat. Other destructive invasive species include cats
, who feed on birds, especially those who are naive to predators (such as Hawaiian honeycreepers).

Efforts to conserve the remaining species are of great interest and a couple of different methods have been described.

Remove mosquito vector

There are a few strategies for mosquito removal which include the reduction of mosquito breeding sites by: chemical and biological control agents, genetic manipulation of the population, and removal of feral ungulates from critical forest habitats.[2] The goal is to eliminate the mosquito populations using herd immunity, which does not require the unfeasible eradication of every individual mosquito. Another strategy requires releasing genetically manipulated sterile mosquito males into the wild every generation and as a consequence the mosquito populations diminish over time.

Captive breeding

In many cases

Zoological Society of San Diego and Peregrine Fund have established management programs aimed at breeding these species in captivity and releasing them back into the wild.[5] As reported in 2000, the major challenge for the program did not include successfully breeding the birds in captivity but finding suitable habitat to release them.[5]
Thus, habitat management and restoration must be rigorously ensured before this breeding program can be secured.

Clearing habitat of invasive species

The Hawaiian honeycreepers are generally specialists both in diet and in habitat. This has left them very vulnerable directly and indirectly to the generalist invaders that have been introduced to the islands.[6] Other birds have provided direct competition for resources with the honeycreepers as well as brought disease (such as avian malaria). However removing the introduced birds is difficult due to their inaccessibility to humans and high dispersal ability. Introduced ungulates include pigs and goats. Removal of large vertebrates requires both fencing and direct removal of the animals. In places where pigs have been removed, vegetation has begun to recover.[7] However, Hawaiian honeycreeper numbers are still in decline and this may be due to introduced predators: feral cats, small Asian mongooses, and three species of rat.[7]

Hope: the ʻamakihi

The

common ʻamakihi (Hemignathus virens) is one of seven extant honeycreeper species on Hawai’i Island.[1] It is a small generalist that has historically shown high mortality rates due to infection by avian malaria.[1] Surprisingly, they have been found at altitudes below 400 metres (1,300 ft) despite their exposure to the pathogen. 90% of these birds showed they had contracted and survived the disease.[1] This finding has raised the possibility that the species may be evolving resistance to malaria, however this may be only a localized event.[1]

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Drepanidinae.

References

  1. ^
    doi:10.1017/S0959270906000244
    . Retrieved 4 November 2015.
  2. ^ a b Jacobi, James D.; Carter T. Atkinson (September 28, 2000). "Hawaii's Endemic Birds". U.S. Department of the Interior. Archived from the original on 2007-07-11. Retrieved 2007-04-26.
  3. ^ a b c d e f "2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species". IUCN. 2006. Retrieved 2007-04-26.
  4. ^
    JSTOR 4096477
    .
  5. ^ a b 2000 Hawaiian Endangered Bird Conservation Program, Annual Report to: USFAW/DOFAW/KSBE/BRD/ZSSD/TPF
  6. JSTOR 1382233
    .
  7. ^ a b Rosa, Karen; Dave Hopper; Sharon Reilly (September 1998). "Draft Environmental Assessment for Possible Management Actions to Save the Po`ouli" (PDF). US Fish and Wildlife Service. pp. 1–76. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-01-31. Retrieved 2007-05-16.
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